It's been such a long time...

What a week this has been. From psycho Spanish almost-play productions, to 2 days off of school thanks to a monster snow storm (well monster for this part of the country) this week has had it all. This weekend has the makings of being amazing. I get to go to Halo Project for BYX tomorrow and I'm so excited...I get to go to CANES with Megan on Saturday for lunch (we've basically decided that there's crack in the sauce) and then BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP on Saturday night! Of course...in between all that I only have 5 or 6 major projects/tests/papers due at the beginning of next week...but eh...it'll get done somehow. And by somehow, I probably mean the night before they are due. It's about time for me to pull an all nighter, I haven't done that at all this semester. I can't believe this semester is almost over! I'm ready though...definitely ready to see my brother come home from Spain and see my dog and all that good stuff. I tell ya, it's been a rough semester at times, but even my little faith has produced a great harvest by the grace of God. He provided someone that wants to disciple me and help me, He's provided comfort in the times that I thought no such thing was possible, the joy of new friendships, and man...how many times have I received the greatest gift of mercy!? countless. rough life with God is so much better than easy life without Him. anyway, it's getting to be bed time. even though school is cancelled...work in the center office is not (what a shame...).

Love y'all,
Allie

Home again, home again...and then some.

Well, another summer has already passed. I remember standing at the beginning thinking how far off getting ready to go back to school seemed, and yet, here it is. Camp is done with, but has become another immortal memory in my mind. This summer I was stretched beyond what I could have ever imagined and though it seemed like I'd never make it, the Lord showed me that that's the exact attitude I needed to learn complete and total dependence on His life to even get up in the mornings. Once I moved past the difficult first few weeks, I grew so much in leadership and what it means to surrender/pour out everything I have for the glory of God. Let's just say it was sweet. I miss it terribly already. Luckily, I can't dwell too much on that because it's already time to get ready for school! I am so excited. I will be living on the second floor of one of the towers in Adams, and will get my first taste of having a room to myself at college. At one point I was pretty sure that's exactly what I needed, but recently I have discovered I'm going to miss having at least a person to share the room with. Still, I think it's going to be a great and new experience that I am ready (maybe not prepared) to begin. This year promises new challenges (such as me learning how to get and stay organized...yikes) and simple pleasures like cable tv in my room (this could be the end of me). Lots of changes are occuring as well, but I have learned to find the goodness in those. Some crazy things may even happen in the next few days, all of which will be fun and exciting. Life, though not always easy, still is so good.

Soccer, the World's Sport

If you know my family at all, then you know that we're a little obsessed with soccer. And if you know soccer at all, then you know that today was the opening day of the World Cup which has been a long anticipated event in our family. We watched the opening match of Germany vs. Costa Rica this afternoon and it was awesome. Did you know that when Ivory Coast found out it qualified for the World Cup, their country and rebels that had been staging a civil war for decades was stopped because they felt a united country would be better to support their team? I think that's pretty darn amazing. Costa Rica declared this day a national holiday so that everyone could be off work to watch them play. Pretty much everywhere but America the countries revolve around soccer. It's kind of insane, and I like it.
We moved all of our furniture over to our new house today. It was really exciting and slowly but surely the house is starting to look friendly. Mom and I got tired tonight though from cleaning and packing our current house, and didn't make it over to make the beds so we're all currently sleeping on our floors. It's the rugged indoors, let me tell ya.
Well, we're getting up at 8 to watch England play Paraguay, because we're hardcore like that. Peace easy homes.

Moving On: An abstract of emotion.

Tonight I say goodbye to the room I have spent the last 9 years of my life in. This room saw the best and the worst of my high school days, and was the familiar haven when I came home from college. And now, I move to a new one. Moving is a change. Change can be good. But change, when accompanied and caused by things that run much deeper than I'd like to believe, can also be extremely hard. The beginning of a new and completely different way of life begins tomorrow...the road looks long. It seems like there's some tall, dark, mountains that look impossible to cross as well. On the other side though, something new is being created, and it's probably pretty beautiful. One day I'll get there, and it will have been well worth the rough stuff to fully enjoy the good stuff. If ever there was a time that I wished there was a fast forward button to life...it would probably be now. But Someone has a plan for my life...for my family's life. A good plan. Not one to harm us. I have nothing else to lean on or rely on but the Rock that I have built my house on. And when you've got nothing else, He is all you need.

The Cost of Mobility

It cost me 46.00 to fill up my little 16-gallon escape. Just a summer ago, it cost me 26. In my great suburb, on the corner of my neighborhood gas is 2.95 a gallon. Not one intersection down it's 10 cents less. Less than 5 miles east, gas is 2.64. Does that seem a little shady to anyone else? As my dad said...we're getting ripped off by someone somewhere.
I had some great bonding time with my brother today moving some stuff to our new house, getting some frosties, and tonight watching a little "Scariest Police Chases 2" on Court TV. Isn't there something about those cop shows that just pulls you in? It's so outrageous what people will do- and even more outrageous that someone can catch it on videotape. After we watched that, we watched a show about the Concorde Jet's last flight. Now we always knew those things were fast...but New York to London in 3 hours? TWICE the speed of sound? The plane actually stretches 8 inches in length during its flight at 1,350 mph at 60,000 feet up? That's fairly incredulous. It would have been pretty sweet to have flown in one of those- if you could afford the 12,000 dollar ticket. It's all so very interesting, the wonders of life.

Guess Who's Back?

I am thouroughly enjoying my summer thus far. I spent the first 10 days at home, crazily cleaning day in and day out to keep the house in ship shape since we're moving and people are coming to look at it all the time. I spent the next week at Pine Cove being orientated to the good ways of camp life again. It was most excellent. We have a GREAT staff...but does that really come as any great surprise? God's selection is a beautiful thing. For the last week since I have been home...I have been watching lots of tv (and I'm LOVING it)- especially Disney Channel. Now, though some of their shows may seem tweeny (ok don't seem, they ARE, I know) they are quality television. I'm a kid at heart. No shame. I've also been enjoying late night (NBC's is my fav) and of course the MAVS games! We're in the NBA finals! Here too I must make a confession and say that I have been a fairweather Mavs fan up to this point- I have always liked them, but never cared enough. But hey- I live in Dallas, they're in the finals, now they're my team!...right. It is really exciting though. This city has been in desperate need of some athletic success. The rest of the summer holds 2 weeks more of free time at home, a visit from Laura and her mom and sister!, and then it's back to the Cove for the last 7 weeks of summer. I can't wait.